Apparatus for drying yarn



June 7, 1932. w. N. GERE APPARATUS FOR DRYING YARN Filed Aug. 51, 1929 Z Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE WARD N. GERE, OF LIVERPOOL, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR T0 ECLIPSE TEXTILE DEVICES, INC., OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, A CORPORAglION OF NEW YORK APPARATUS FOR DRYING YARN Application filed August 31, 1929. Serial No. 389,747.-

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for drying yarn, and aims especially to provide an improved method and means for drying yarn which has been partially colored on hollow perforated cores, as by means of the method described and claimed in Patent No. 1,724,015, granted August 13, 1929, on an application filed by Y Apparatus according to the invention comprises a plurality of holders for the wet or partiall wet masses of yarn to be dried, each hol der having a nozzle, or part having a discharge orifice, for supplying a drying agent, such as heated air, into the interior of a mass of yarn, and means for supplying the heated air to such holders. An object of the invention is to securea uniform rate of drying of the yarn masses on the different holders, and'to secure such uniform rate of drying whether all or any number less than all of the holders are carrying yarn masses. This result is secured by causing the drying air to be supplied to all the holders at a uniform pressure and temperature, and to be discharged through the holders and through the yarn'masses at a uniform rate.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of large drying capacity which can be operated at a relatively low expense. I Y

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from a detailed description of a specific drying apparatus embodying the invention, which is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a drying appa rat-us in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the' cone-holders with a cone of yarn thereon.

The drying apparatus illustrated is intended especially for drying partially colored, or spotted, yarn cones as they are taken from a device for spotting yarn on the cone, such as that shown in my aforesaid'patent. The time required for partiallycoloring a yarn cone by means of such a machine is verythereby are thus pivotally mounted to turn short compared with the time required for drying the cone. may be dried immediately after'it has been partially dyed, a considerable number of drying units are necessary. The drying apparatus illustrated includes a number of such units.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus as shown comprises a plurality of cone-holders 10, 10, mounted on chamber casings 12 at the outer ends of a plurality of air supply pipes or conduits 14 which extend horizontally and radially from a central chamber casing 16. The chamber casing 16 is mounted on the upwardly directed'outlet 20 of an air pump or blower 21- by means of a swivel pipe joint comprising an inner tubular member 22 secured to the blower outlet and an outer tubular member 23 extending down from the chamber casing and formed with a shoulder 24 which rests against the top of the In order that each cone inner member 22. The distributing chamber I with its radial pipes and the holders carried about a vertical axis.

The blower 21 is most desirably a positive pressure blower, such as a Roots blower as shown. The compressed air delivered by the blower enters the distributing chamber 16 and flows thence outwardly through the pipes 14 to the secondary chambers 12 at the ends of the pipes, from which it is discharged to the cones. or other masses mounted on the holders. The pipes 14' should be of equal length both for convenience in presenting the holders successively to the'operator standing at one side of the apparatus, and in order that the air shall have the same distance to travel to all the holders. Most desirably, each'secondary chamber casing 12 carries a plurality of cone-holders, two holders being carried by each chamber. casing 12 in the apparatus shown, one extending horizontally and the other vertically from the chamber casing. Each cone-holder comprises a nozzle pipe 30' secured to the casing 12 and communicat-v ing with the chamber within the casing. Fixed on the nozzle pipe as by means of a 'set screw 31 is a member 32for supporting and closing the large end of the: hollow tapered core A of a yarn cone a. The nozzle pipe extends beyond the supporting member 32 and carries a sliding spring-pressed member 35 for supporting the outer end of the 5 core A. The outer end of the member 35 is tapered to fit within and close the small end of an open core, and is adapted also to press against the inner face of a core which is closed at its small end. The inner end of the member or rod35', as shown at 39, is formed to have a close sliding fit within the nozzle pipe 30 so as to prevent the escape of air from the end of the pipe, and is yieldingly pressed outward by a spring 37 placed between the end of the rod and an abutment pin 38. A stop pin 39' serves to limit the outward movement of the rod 35.

The nozzle pipe 30 is provided with a port, or discharge orifice, 40 for discharging the air into the interior of a cone core A mounted on the holder. The effective size of this air port or orifice is adjustable by means of a sleeve 41 mountedon the pipe 30 and having a port or orifice 40' which may be caused to register more orless with the port 40 by turning the sleeve on the pipe. The drying air passing into the interior of the yarn cone or other yarn mass through the port 40 flows out through the apertures a in the core A and thence through the wet or moist colored portions A" of the yarn, to dry the moistened portions and also to fix the color in the yarn.

The pressure of the air within the core A and also the action of the spring 37 tend to move the core off from the supporting member 32. The member 32 is, therefore, formed not only to support and close the large end of the core but also to grip and hold the same. Most desirably, the peripheral surface of the member 32 is tapered to fit the inner surface of the cores, and this tapered peripheral face is provided with a thread 45 which is adapted to bite into the inner surface of the core, thus securely holding the core against movement oil from the member 32 and also improving the air seal.

For heating the air, I depend most desirably entirely on heating due to compression 'of the air by the blower, although certain features of the invention may be em loyed in connection with an otherwise heate air supply. I have found that the maximum safe temperature at the material being dried is about 180 to 190 F., and I have found that this temperature may be maintained by maintaining an "air pressure within the apparatus of about six pounds per square inch above the atmospheric pressure.

It is not desirable that the drying air should be supplied directly to the yarn cone or other yarn mass at this relatively high pressure. By providing relatively small noz:

thelr nozzle ports open, are filled. From \zle discharge ports, or. orifices, 40 for discharge from the nozzles of the relatively high pressure air, the desired volume of air for drying the cones is supplied at suitable pressure and the rate of discharge through the nozzle orifices may be controlled so that this v tially no building-up of pressure within the cone core, or not sufiicient to substantially affect the rate of flow through the nozzle orifices. v

The volume of air which can be passed through one cone per minute will vary according to the size and number of perforations in the core, and the size of the nozzle orifice should be determined according to the aggregate perforation area of a cone core, and the nozzle orifice of all the holders in use should be the same. As the size and. number of perforations in cores of cones to be dried may vary, or the air permeability of other yarn masses to be dried may vary, the nozzle, orifices 40 are made adjustable. Before starting the apparatus in operation, the nozzle orifices 40 should be adjusted to pass the proper amount of heated air, and the number 0 cone-holders to be used will depend upon this adjustment and the capacity of the blower, that is, such number of cone-holders will be used as the blower will supply with air while maintaining the desired air pressure in the. system. The valve sleeves 41 of the holders which are not to be used are turned to entirely close the nozzle ports 40, and the nozzle ports of all the holders to be used are adjusted for the same rate of air discharge. 1

The nozzle portsbeing properly adjusted, the blower is started with no cones on. t e holders. The desired pressure will be immediately produced and will thereafter be maintained throughout theoperation of the apparatus whether the holders have cones thereon or not. Uniform conditions are thus maintained while the cones are being put on or taken ofi, the valve sleeves 41 remaining fixed during the changing of the cones, and

the nozzle orifices of the holders in use passing the same volume of air.

The drier being thus made ready for operation, the cones as they come to be dried are put on the holders of the drier one at a time, the operator standing in one place and turning the wheel-like structure to bring successive. pairs of holders intoposition to receive cones or other yarn masses to be dried. This operation continues until all the holders which are in use, that is, those which have then on the operation is continuous, the dried reiilficed with wet ones.

e capacity of the blower. should be such that the cones will have dried to the desired ber su'p degree by the time the holder or holders first loaded have returned to the loading position. v

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for drying yarn on a hollow rforated conical core, comprisin a corelder including a supporti and c osing member formed to engage an hold the large end of the core, a nozzle pipe extending through said member and having a discharge orifice, and a rin -pressed member for engaging the smal en of the core; and means for supplyin air under pressure to the nozzle, the nozz e orifice being of such size that thepressure develo d within the core will not substantially a ect the rate of flow through the orifice.

2. A cone-holder for yarn driers, comprising a fixed member adapted to support and close the large end of a yarn cone against escape of drying air, a pipe extending throu h said member and havin an a rture' ar deliverin air into the interior of a cone on the ho der, an adjustable valve member for determining the effective size of said aperture, and a yieldable member sup and adapt-' ported from said fixed member ed to engage the small end of the cone 3. A cone-holder'for yarn driers, comprising a fixed member adapted to support and close the large end of a yarn cone against the escape of drying air, and a yieldable memrted from said fixed member and ada te to support and close the small end oft econe.

4. A cone-holder for yarn driers, comprising a fixed member adapted to support and close the large end of a core of a yarn cone against escape of drying air, a pipe extending through said fixed member, and a yieldab e member mounted on said pipe and adapted to engage the small end of the core.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' WARD N. GERE.

on the drier, being successively removed and 

